Cajun’s Corner – Been Awhile

It’s been awhile since I’ve logged into LAS and laid down some script. SO, let me see if I still got it.

The guys were kind enough to put this together for me. Looking at this makes me anxious for King Cake.

Mardi Gras colors

Growth – It’s a good thing. When someone presents you with the opportunity, whether big or small, to do something for our sport, please don’t say “no.”

Recruitment season has been in full force the past couple months. Much like a college coach who seeks out star players to tell them about their program and school, I seek out freshmen and sophomores who have never heard about lacrosse to tell them how awesome it is. Somehow, this video gets thrown around a lot.

Slow-mo faceoff gets me everytime.

Dutchvegas Lax had a recruitment meeting at the very end of August, and a Parent’s meeting at the end of September. Leaps were made in our program at both meetings. In our second year of existence, we nearly doubled the amount of players from last year, so we can field a JV and Varsity for 2011. And parent’s actually stepped up to the plate to do work.

Unreal. Last year, the parents did more than we ever expected of them. But this year, we got a new group of Type-A Board Members who want to make stuff happen, and they want to make it happen today.

I didn’t think this would be happening for another 2-3 years. From my experience, it takes a few years for lacrosse to be recognized as a “real” sport, at which point you can then get parents to believe in your program. The jump in the roster size and parent involvement had this effect on my brain:

I’ve never complained about getting new people into lacrosse, and probably never will. But do you remember when you first picked up a stick? Just like your first time golfing, you probably sucked hard.

We held our first mandatory practice a couple weeks ago, aimed primarily at the new guys and teaching them the basics.

Our season starts in January with the Sugar Bowl Classic, so we had to get sticks in their hands now. Thanks to one of our Type-A Board Members for snapping these beautiful shots.

Teaching basic defense

Teaching more Defense

Water Break - it was hot

Sliding

Stick protection with one of our newer coaches - Kevin Andries

Where to look when you're moving the ball

Me coaching, and one of our players, Jarred, helping me out

Let me tell you something about this kid, Jarred Hatfield. Very few people on the planet are as enthusiastic about lax as this guy. Something about his graduating class – they’re all lax rats. His stick is literally glued to his hands.

If there’s a player practice or a player’s only meeting, chances are Jarred, Dalton, or Tyler are the ones behind it. Jarred forces new guys to go out to the field with him, so he can get his work in, but also do some coaching. Makes my job easier.

Jarred Hatfield

He embraces the lax culture – he reads the websites, watches the videos, wears the mid-calves, and forces the ignorant to sign up to play. And if you’re reading this page right now, I’m assuming you know there’s a distinct lax culture, and I’m hoping you know (or at least assume) how hard it is to get new players in Louisiana. Jarred has been a big part of why our roster has doubled.

About the author

Hutchinson

Knox is a 25 year old High School Head Coach in a small area east of Baton Rouge. He played High School ball for four years, and college ball for about 1 week until he realized his collegiate priorities rested with more important things like partying and eventually trying to get his grades up. He enjoys things that most Louisiana people do – eating boiled crawfish and alligator, a cold Abita Amber, anything LSU, his dog, and his beautiful girlfriend, Audrey. Lacrosse is not listed because most Louisiana people have no idea what lacrosse is.